Community Stories

Luminous Dauphine hands restoration

Dr. Arnaud
Posts
143
Likes
105
hello,
I have sourced some hands in the hope of restoring them and replacing the ones from my Seamaster 2767 that are very pitted.
I essentially got them for free, so I am willing to try few restoration methods on them, including bathing them in acid, polishing, replacing the lume etc. Any recommendations? I have never done that before but I am very aware of the presence of radium on these hands.
Here are the watch and the replacement hands.

upload_2023-11-27_19-29-21.jpeg
 
hands.png
kaplan
Posts
2,640
Likes
3,093
I used ammonia on old hands and the results were incredible, correct me if I'm wrong but maybe these aren't coated?

Use ammonia on anything modern and it strips of coating super fast

Seconds hand I guess be more careful than the hours/minutes, that one looks coated
 
gbesq
Posts
9,739
Likes
54,481
If the old luminous compound contains radium, you need to be very careful not to expose yourself to any airborne lume dust that could result from working on the hands. Keep in mind that radium is highly radioactive and has a half life of 1,600 years. I would leave this work to a qualified watchmaker or, at the very least, consult with someone who has done this before and can advise you of the proper way to do it safely.
 
Dr. Arnaud
Posts
143
Likes
105
gbesq gbesq
If the old luminous compound contains radium, you need to be very careful not to expose yourself to any airborne lume dust that could result from working on the hands. Keep in mind that radium is highly radioactive and has a half life of 1,600 years. I would leave this work to a qualified watchmaker or, at the very least, consult with someone who has done this before and can advise you of the proper way to do it safely.
As a scientist by training, I am used to work with dangerous compounds. Planning to use some serious PPE that include safety glasses, gloves, hair nets, FFP2 masks and labcoat. I am planning to get rid of the radium by scrapping it inside a safety bag. I will do that outside my house. I will then transfer the hands into a solution to dissolve whatever is left and dump the solution appropriately.
Edited:
 
rendo
Posts
869
Likes
3,632
I'm not an expert, but a tip I found helpful is to scrape off the radium while the hands are submerged inside a small jar of alcohol. It does a great job of controlling the dust. You also want to be careful with radium dust that may be stuck inside the dial. A UV flashlight should help you spot those.

It could be the photos you posted, but the replacement hands you are showing above don't look luminous to me.

I recently had a set of hands in similar condition to yours. The company I sent them in for re-plating told me that the seconds hand was made out of steel, so it could not be re-plated. The hour and minute hands look better after the process, but the pitting is still visible.

Good luck!
 
Dr. Arnaud
Posts
143
Likes
105
rendo rendo
I'm not an expert, but a tip I found helpful is to scrape off the radium while the hands are submerged inside a small jar of alcohol. It does a great job of controlling the dust. You also want to be careful with radium dust that may be stuck inside the dial. A UV flashlight should help you spot those.

It could be the photos you posted, but the replacement hands you are showing above don't look luminous to me.

I recently had a set of hands in similar condition to yours. The company I sent them in for re-plating told me that the seconds hand was made out of steel, so it could not be re-plated. The hour and minute hands look better after the process, but the pitting is still visible.

Good luck!
Yes, scraping the lume inside a liquid should prevent any airborne dust.I will probably let the hand soak in water for 1 or 2 hours, then proceed with the scraping. I can do that inside a dish that will be placed into a bag.
Thanks for your advices.
 
sheepdoll
Posts
2,842
Likes
4,537
I have a project which involves repairing some damaged hands.

Some of this is in the archives. https://omegaforums.net/threads/a-novel-way-to-restore-color-to-hands.156641/

I did get a Geiger counter as it made me feel better. The dropoff is cm away from the hands. I also second the suggestion to clean the hands under alcohol (not available in the state of california.) Or Naptha (lighter fluid) which was the last time I checked (aka goo off) De ionized distilled water is probably the best as that really is the universal solvent.

Be careful with dials as the above solvents will destroy them. Also it may not be advisable to put radium parts into storage containers plastic bags etc. (and if so open the container outside in a well ventilated area.) The radium byproduct is radon gas, and collects in tight spaces. This gas is also naturally occurring in some parts of the US.

Ironically the best way to store such thing may be in open trays with good airflow. Not that any of us would ever have much to measure.
 
DON
Posts
2,164
Likes
1,350
My refinished told me if the hands are too pitted. They’re not suitable for restoration. Also they’re brass plated, so any sanding will remove the plating.

he restored hands for me in fair condition. Replated and relumed
 
watchyouwant
Posts
5,598
Likes
9,424
Try that yourself ....
Silvering
The dial silvering process involves two steps - application of the silver chloride, followed by cream of tartar. The silver chloride reacts with the brass dial; the copper in the brass trades places with the silver in the silver chloride. Applying the silver chloride is easy - a damp cotton ball dipped in the silver chloride powder and gentle rubbing facilitates the reaction in a minute or two.

10-silvering-step-1-1024x576.jpg
The results after application of the silver chloride are disappointing - the color is slightly brown. The second step - cream of tartar - brightens the silver. The application of the cream of tartar is the same as the silver chloride - a damp cotton ball and a gentle rubbing motion. The silvering sneaks up on you - it is hard to notice at first, but comparing it to an unsilvered component reveals the transformation.

11-silvering-comparison.jpg
 
Dr. Arnaud
Posts
143
Likes
105
Hello,
Here is an update. They don’t look brand new for sure, but I am kind of happy with the result. I have mixed some coffee to the lume so that it looks old and not too white.
 
C5C4C37E-3AEC-4CAA-A5E8-BB0D89A60D55.png 3C63154D-7B26-4163-ABB0-DCDF8D5E93EF.png F31CA6DC-2387-4E26-968F-B293EDE7CEBE.png 5E756E46-8B61-4881-824E-55BC707422B3.png
wagudc
Posts
4,817
Likes
12,197
It is quite the improvement. The hands have cleaned up nicely, but still have a bit of patina to match the rest of the watch. An ideal outcome IMHO. The watch looks really nice!
 
UWG
Posts
375
Likes
1,908
A very authentic look. Absolutely well done, congrats!
 
Dr. Arnaud
Posts
143
Likes
105
I mixed some coffee directly into the mix. Should I now paint over the hands with a brush and coffee?
 
kaplan
Posts
2,640
Likes
3,093
I actually did that once and got very good results with it, it provided better shading than just a premix - but ymmv

Mainly the initial issue is the end result always being so much more lighter than the mix
 
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

sneer

Omega 267 silver luminous dauphine hands

sneer Wanted To Buy
sneer
sneer
Posts
0
Views
1K
Scarecrow Boat

Omega C-Case Constellation 168.017 w/ dauphine hands & 1040 bracelet

Scarecrow Boat Private Watch Sales
Scarecrow Boat
Scarecrow Boat
Posts
4
Views
10K
Deafboy

Hands restoration question

Deafboy Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
oddboy
oddboy
Posts
2
Views
1K
Pianist

Dial and hands restoration : before/after

Pianist Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
SpeedTar
SpeedTar
Posts
38
Views
8K